Tamale: The Centre for Research and Development Alternatives (CREDA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has engaged with parents, guardians and adolescents living with disabilities in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region on gender-based violence to prevent its occurrence.

The Centre, at a sensitisation workshop in partnership with Norsaac, an NGO, touched on the fundamental human rights of persons living with disability, social misconceptions about gender and disability, and improving parents’ knowledge on nurturing children with special needs.

Mr Abukari Iddrisu, the Programme Manager, CREDA, said the project sought to prevent gender-based violence among people living with disability (PWDs).

‘You know that violence and discrimination emanate from homes to the public and in trying to curb this menace, you need to involve parents, who are the primary protectors and caregivers for young people with disability,’ he said.

He expressed confidence of the workshop empowering participants to bec
ome more aware of gender-based violence and related issues in their immediate environment, and effectively manage disability issues when the need arose.

Madam Bushira Alhassan, the Acting Northern Regional Director, Department of Gender, urged parents to report cases of violence and abuse against PWDs to the appropriate authorities for support.

She appealed to the public to desist from calling PWDs by their conditions, saying that was not right.

Madam Sahada Abukari, the Northern Regional President, Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, commended the workshop organisers for recognising parents and guardians of children with disability.

She urged participants to speak against violence, discrimination and human rights abuse on PWDs by ensuring attitudinal change among members of the public.

Source: Ghana News Agency